i recently found out that i can keep a demonasi cichlid in a 10 gallon but i was wondering if i could keep another READILY AVAILABLE DWARF CICHLID that doesent cost 30 bucks! that means no rams or kribs or appostagomus(srry not a cichlid person...yet!)
2007-11-22 12:34:36 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
I feel bad for a Demasoni, or any Malawi cichid, stuffed into a 10 gallon tank. Just becaue they are small doesn't mean they are suitable. Put one of these fish into a 100 gallon tank and watch it use all of it! Not to mention how social they are and how boring it would be all alone. Yes, it would survive, but what a lousy home - only those who don't understand the fish would say it's good for such a tiny tank.
For a 10 gallon tank to get into cichlids you may want to look into shell dwellers. They are from Tanganyika and actually make small territories, so they are pretty much the only type of cichlid suitable to a 10 gallon tank besides Rams or Apistogramma. Tank setup is simple - sand and shells and hard, alkaline water, and these guys have a ton of character. You can do a pair or harem, depending on what type you choose.
But no matter how you look at it, and you can believe it or not, to get into cichlids and enjoy what they have to offer, they need space. They are active. They are territorial. They are very social and keeping one of any cichlid is missing the point. I wouldn't use less then 20 gallons for any cichlid.
Good luck whatever you choose to do.
2007-11-23 00:51:45 · answer #1 · answered by Ghapy 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Well the demonasi is a African cichlid (Malawi, Mbuna), You might be able to keep one more mbuna in there but you need to make sure that it is another one that will not get very big. 10 gallons is not much to work with, the bigger the tank you have the more of these you will be able to have. I have a 75 gallon tank setup with Africans and have about 20 of them in there. The problem with these cichlids are that they are very aggressive, this is a problem when there aren't very many of them because the stronger fish will bully the others till they are dead. The key is to keep many of them together that way it spreads the aggression out. Also you need to have hiding spots in the tank for them. So my suggestion is to try to get a larger tank so that you can get more fish.
2007-11-22 21:00:51 · answer #2 · answered by Goober 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I have yet to find a dwarf cichlid that is not very pricey.That is one of the down side of owning them.Look at it this way though,most live for at least 10 years.
Most locally owned fish stores who carry cichlids,will order you whatever you decide to get if they don't have it in stock.
2007-11-22 20:59:50 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
If your water is good for a DeMasoni it should be good for some of the Shell-dweller Dwarfs,and compatibility shouldn't be a problem.
2007-11-22 22:37:39 · answer #4 · answered by PeeTee 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋